The present disclosure relates generally to a method and apparatus for imaging selected regions of a patient, especially the lower torso, pelvis and lower body of a supine patient, such as during gynecological and prostate imaging, such as for detecting the presence of malignancies in this region, such as penile cancer, testicular cancer, cervical cancer, pelvic cancer and the like, and particularly to the mechanical apparatus which makes access to the lower torso and lower body possible.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is useful in assessing the presence, size and location of diseased or damaged tissues in the lower body, such as a prostate tumor, for surgical planning, and for guiding therapeutic and diagnostic procedures such as biopsy, brachytherapy and staging of disease. In addition to conventional T1 and T2-weighted MR imaging, MR spectroscopy has also proven very useful in assessing metabolic activity in diseased tissue. The use of computed tomography imaging (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) and C-arm x-ray are also well known in the medical field for similar imaging objectives. During imaging procedures, it is necessary for the patient to lie motionless for an extended period of time, in some cases even holding their breath. Longer imaging protocols make breath holding impracticable, and so the respiratory motion may degrade the images even in a patient who lies motionless. Lying immobile for extended periods in some positions poses hazards to the patient's health, whether or not they are sedated.
When it is desired to introduce a probe or interventional medical device to tissues, it is often necessary to remove the patient from the imager's imaging volume. This is the case for various designs of MRI, PET, CT and when C-arm X-ray is used—either the patient is removed from the imaging volume, or the imager is moved away from the patient tissues. In such cases, it is important that the physical arrangement of the patient's tissues is not altered between the imaging position and the intervention position. This is not a procedure that is easily controlled because of random movements and uncontrollable anomalies. These factors can affect the quality and even the reliability of results.
Imaging and intervention near the pelvis in particular often requires devices to be introduced into tissues via the rectum, genitals or perineum. Typical patient beds used for imaging have shapes which limit access to patient tissues and do not provide an easy means of attachment for the specialized devices used in image-guided intervention. Thus there is a need for a patient bed for use with medical imaging equipment which provides access and line-of-sight to the underside of the lower body and a means of positioning specialized devices for imaging and intervention.